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Electric Cars Lead Industrial Transformation in East Germany
According to data from the German Association of the Automotive Industry, electric cars accounted for 60% of total production in East Germany last year, compared to 35.1% in the West and 40.2% nationwide.
This rise is primarily attributed to the concentration of factories exclusively dedicated to electric vehicle production, owned by Tesla and Volkswagen.
Volkswagen transformed its factory in Zwickau in 2020 into the first production site entirely dedicated to electric vehicles, manufacturing various models, including those from other brands under the group, such as Audi and Cupra.
Meanwhile, Tesla opened its only European factory in 2022 in Grünheide, near Berlin, in Brandenburg, which previously had no automotive industry, making it the first German state to produce only electric cars.
According to industry officials, the automotive and parts manufacturing sector in East Germany provides over 200,000 jobs, making it one of the main pillars of industrial employment in the region.
In this context, the German government’s Commissioner for the East, Elisabeth Kaiser, stated that about a quarter of industrial jobs in the region depend on the automotive sector, noting that this sector faces increasing challenges related to international competition, tariffs, and the rapid transition to environmentally friendly transport systems.
Despite East Germany’s leadership in electric mobility, industry players emphasize that the success of this transition relies on continuous investment, maintaining competitiveness, and ensuring job sustainability amid the rapid global changes in the automotive industry.
